Comeback Of Jet Airways | Airline Eyes Commercial Flight Launch In July-September Quarter
Jet 2.0: The airline has already completed its five sets of proving flights which is the final step for the airline to obtain an air operator certificate (AOC)
New Delhi: The countdown has begun. Jet Airways 2.0 is all set to spread wings.
The grounded airlines, under its new promoters Jalan-Kalrock Consortium, is planning a launch of its commercial operations in the July-September quarter.
The airline has already completed its five sets of proving flights. On Tuesday, the last set was conducted by Jet with 31 people on board that included officials of DGCA, as reported by the PTI.
What is proving flight?
In the aviation sector, proving flight is the final step for any airline to obtain an air operator certificate or AOC. These test flights are usually operated across several sectors with a combined block time and allow airlines to demonstrate flight safety and other aspects of its operations to the regulator.
And, she’s here! Our aircraft, VT-SXE, operated a positioning flight this evening from Hyderabad to Delhi as 9W101. Some photos here of the aircraft in Delhi and of colleagues celebrating this momentous day! #JetAirways #OnCloud9W pic.twitter.com/6sYfmlm0Jm
— Jet Airways (@jetairways) May 5, 2022
Jet conducted the first set of three test flights between Delhi and Mumbai.
According to news reports, the second flight was scheduled to return to Delhi, however, after it departed from Mumbai, DGCA officials asked the pilots to divert it to Ahmedabad. This was done to check the readiness of the airline in handling such situations.
As the second flight safely landed in Ahmedabad, the third flight was conducted between Ahmedabad and Delhi, the report mentioned.
After being grounded for over 3 years, the Union home ministry has granted necessary security clearance to Jet Airways.
In a tweet, Jet Airways said, “Today, May 5, our 29th birthday, Jet Airways flew again! An emotional day for all of us who have been waiting, working, and praying for this day, as well as for Jet’s loyal customers who can’t wait for Jet to commence operations again.”
Today, May 5, our 29th birthday, Jet Airways flew again! An emotional day for all of us who have been waiting, working, and praying for this day, as well as for Jet's loyal customers who can't wait for Jet to commence operations again. pic.twitter.com/2HcSHa0bTS
— Jet Airways (@jetairways) May 5, 2022
Jet crew
Earlier this year, the airline appointed veteran aviation expert Sanjiv Kapoor as its chief executive officer (CEO). Kapoor during his stint with SpiceJet helped steer the company through a turbulent period.
Jet has also appointed former Sri Lankan Airlines CEO Vipula Gunatilleka as the chief financial officer (CFO).
Barring the top bosses, the airline has recruited over 200 people across various departments to look after the functions of the company.
Challenges before Jet 2.0
However, the turbulent time is not yet over for Jet.
The airline still requires various approvals and certifications before it can start operations. While the hiring of employees is still on, the company will have to invest in the training of employees, cabin crew, and pilots.
A new airline needs ample support from the sector; for Jet, it will be no cakewalk.
The Covid-19 pandemic has changed a lot in the aviation industry in the past two years.
The number of domestic travellers has come down, while airlines are struggling with losses. All airlines have seen their revenues declining, while some have logged losses during the Covid period.
IndiGo, India’s largest airline, clocked a fall in revenue from flights by 60 per cent in FY21.
However, a few months back the government lifted all restrictions on the aviation sector which came as a respite to the loss-making industry. Besides, the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and rising aviation turbine fuel have posed some new hurdles for the sector.
Jet will find a rival in Akasa Air, as the Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed airline will launch operations soon. A low-cost airline like Akasa will make survival tough for Jet. So, this will pose another challenge for Jet Airways. Besides, the company needs more aircraft to take on the bigshots in the industry.
Jet Airways, which was founded by Naresh Goyal, first operated its first commercial flight on May 5, 1993, while the last commercial flight was on April 18, 2019, as it collapsed under a pile of debt and the company became bankrupt.
Once upon a time, it was one India’s largest airlines, with a 21.2 per cent market share in 2016. During its previous regime, the airline operated over 300 flights daily to 74 destinations worldwide.
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